Club/Venue

Date

Artist

Featured Bars and Clubs

This party enclave caters to the hip: the chic, live-music lovers and those looking for a serious cocktail and a sexy time. The 5,000-square-foot space opened in fall 2013 and boasts gorgeous décor throughout the three-level club.

Catch live blues, rock, reggae, funk, and other acts at this CityPlace venue, where the menu is as soulful as the music. Prices are moderate, though for a few acts, there's a cover charge and limited seating, especially when B.B. and Lucille show up.

http://www.ramrodbar.com Leather and light spirits, despite the serious sexual energy and sex-toy shop, make this indoor/outdoor bar a great place to hang out -- or to pick up. Ramrod is basically the "Cheers" of Wilton Manors. There's something intriguing about bear culture that draws people in, whether you're a bear or not. Cub, bear, otter, or anything in between, it doesn't matter; the moment you walk into Ramrod, you can sense a community. In den-like fashion, the bar is dark, there are gargoyle statues everywhere, and they play minimal house music that's so old that it's already on trend again -- but, then again, you’re not there for the music anyway. Read more about Ramrod >>

The new Retro Lounge brings its rockabilly flare and tattoo-enthusiast style to Fort Lauderdale's nightlife scene. Throughout the shared space, rockabilly dudes and ladies with pinup styling mingle with Fort Lauderdale's rock 'n' roll party crowd. Originally a one-room tattoo boutique, the Retro Lounge has expanded to include a cozy backroom, where clients get tattooed and primped beneath pictures of John Dillinger and "The Rat Pack." Read more about The Retro Lounge >>

http://www.roccostacos.com Rocco's Tacos is a trendy and upbeat Mexican restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard known for its handmade tortillas, guacamole made to order, and more than 225 types of tequila. The décor is fun and modern, including large star-encrusted chandeliers, Mexican memorabilia, rustic wooden tables, and roomy booths. At night, Rocco's Tacos caters to the South Florida party scene, playing top 40 hits. On the weekends, Rocco himself is known to perform his special "tequila dance" on top of the bar while pouring guests shots. There is outdoor and indoor seating available. Read more about Rocco's Tacos and Tequila Bar >>

http://www.itsbetteronthebeach.com/rock-bar/ Fort Lauderdale beach's newly renovated Rock Bar looks like how it sounds -- cheesy, lowbrow, and fun. An edgy red and black motif is complemented by record-sleeve-lined walls, bathtub-sized margarita glasses, and the biggest disco ball you'll probably ever see in your life. Ample indoor/outdoor seating; lots of cheap, beachy drink specials; and uncomfortably loud electronic (curiously, not rock) music streaming over the sidewalk make this an ideal location for a 20-something crowd, especially during spring-break season. And even though the oceanfront views are great, what rock-inspired lounge would be complete without a dark and seedy backdoor-accessible counterpart? Inside and behind Rock Bar is Exit 66, an enormous, Americana-themed dance room, complete with its own separate tiki bar and swimming pool out back. The possibilities for debauchery are virtually endless. Read more about Rock Bar >>

http://www.roseybaby.com By day, students and suits crowd Rosey Baby for crawfish pasta and other Louisiana favorites, but by night, the tiny club pushes tables and chairs aside. Patrons literally bump elbows with the regional crop of traditional blues purveyors regularly holding court.
This spicy little number feels like a New Orleans bar mysteriously picked up and planted in Lauderhill. The kicks range from mild, found in appetizers like crawfish bisque and sautéed alligator, to seriously zingy, in main courses such as blackened catfish or blackened rib eye. Buckets of crawfish, served in season only (not available July through December) are the best around, as are boiled Cajun blue crabs, when they're on special. Po-boys and muffulettas are requirements for N'awlins food-lovers. Live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. Read more about Rosey Baby Crawfish & Cajun House >>

http://www.roundupcountry.com Grab your partner, spin her ’round and ’round, all the way down to Davie's Round Up Country Western Club. This good-ol'-boy bar is a needle in a haystack off 595 in the back of a strip mall. But don't be fooled by the suburban-sprawl exterior; this place is all Texas heart on the inside. There's a wooden bar with beer signs and a few TVs, but you'll rarely see a soul sitting. The patrons are too busy showing off their spur-kickin' moves on the enormous dance floor. But don't fret if you haven't got the square-dancing moves down pat; during the week, Round Up offers free dance lessons. Wearing a ten-gallon hat and snakeskin boots is not a dress code requirement, but it's more fun if you do. Read more about Round Up Country Western Nightclub and Restaurant >>

The latest addition to the burgeoning Las Olas nightlife scene is the Royal Pig Pub. Across from Vibe and YOLO, this watering hole is for those in need of a more casual bar scene. The interior is ornate but not overdone and gaudy. Constructed almost completely in wood and brick, the castle-like inside will make you forget that the bar is in the middle of Fort Lauderdale. The décor has an assortment of kitschy – but useful – details like desk lamps illuminating the bar top. Opposite the shiny wood bar and chairs trimmed in red velvet is an array of table tops with medieval-inspired details. Although a dozen or so TVs broadcast the games, they don't make the place feel like a sports bar. Outside is ample seating as well as another bar complete with enormous fans to keep the summer nights cool. Read more about Royal Pig Pub & Kitchen >>

http://www.s3restaurant.com S3, short for Sun, Surf and Sand, is the latest project by the Restaurant People, owners of YOLO, Vibe, and Tarpon Bend. It’s the team’s first foray onto Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront, and it’s doing it in high style, with an even higher budget. Nearly $4 million was spent transforming the first floor of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort into a Pacific-inspired oasis. For this project, which opened mid-2013, company execs Tim Petrillo and Peter Bouloukis have reunited with chef Chris Miracolo. The trio have worked together on and off all the way back to 1995 but parted ways for a while when Miracolo went to work at the farm-to-table restaurant Max’s Harvest in Delray Beach. The menu features entrées that appeal to a professional crowd — like pork loin and skirt steak — more than a dozen raw and sushi items, and a wide choice of small plates that pair well with a trendy cocktail and ocean views. The grilled octopus, for instance, is one of the best dishes in town. Read more about S3 >>

Nestled in a mahogany corner of the bright-orange Beach Place, SallyO Irish Pub comes straight from Ireland, literally. All of the mahogany paneling, bar, and ceiling were made in the motherland and shipped over. The bar stocks wine, tea from Britain, and various beers from Ireland and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Families staying in hotels nearby can bring the kids for pajama karaoke on Mondays. For a more mature crowd, SallyO offers a 17-piece jazz band on Thursdays and a winetasting on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. Those who are sandy after a day at the beach can grab a beer at a smaller pavilion bar outside. Read more about SallyO Irish Pub >>

http://www.sandbarfortlauderdale.com The ocean breeze, a view of bikini babes passing by, and a cold one in hand. What could be better? This beachside trifecta of paradise is what makes the Sandbar the ultimate sunny-afternoon spot to grab a drink. Part of the corridor of bars, tattoo shops, and shops off Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, this venue is all about high-energy music mixed with a casual setting. Completely open air and made up of two levels, there is no shortage of places to sit and people-watch as the day passes by. Read more about SandBar >>

Seventh Street Wine Company has it all: atmosphere, service, and quality. Located off Federal Highway in an inconspicuous yellowish building, Seventh Street's entrance is around the back in what looks like a pretty cruddy parking lot. But walk in and the multiple spaces take you in. Low ceilings open up to wonderfully lit rooms with brown leather sofas and funky light fixtures; the bar boasts an entirely different color scheme with blue walls and cushions attached to the contemporary metal chairs. If that's not enough, there is a cozy seating area outside, and a private room indoors that features a large flat screen and wine-box cabinets. Wine novices shouldn't fret. It may seem a bit intimidating at first, but the staff is very helpful and you can sample, though not for free, the more than 70 wines that are on tap. Read more about Seventh Street Wine Company >>

http://www.shooterscafe.com Shooters has been one of Fort Liquordale's stomping grounds since it anchored on the Intracoastal in 1982. The casual, fun atmosphere is known to heat up over the weekends during the Hot Bod contests at the pool next door. And wild times abound at the annual Halloween costume contest and party. Shooters serves decent American comfort food, but it's the waterfront view and fun atmosphere that really bring people to the tables. For those who drink like a fish, the bar mixes awesome fishbowl-sized cocktails. Grab a dockside table to catch a glimpse of the Florida boating lifestyle: Rows of yachts and cigarette boats tie up here, creating a scene like no other in Liquordale. Read more about Shooters Waterfront Cafe >>

Inside the uniquely circular Citibank building, a marble stairway leads to Sky Nightclub, a discotheque filled with an eclectic crowd partaking in all sorts of dance-floor debauchery. A mural of clouds and blue skies adorns the ceiling; it's no Sistine Chapel, but it's quite fitting for the venue's name. Glitzy chandeliers dangle above the dance floor, bouncing neon lights and strobes onto the mirrored walls. Stairs lead down to a large dance floor that's surrounded by two bars and enormous Mount Olympus-like marble columns. The floor is filled with leather-clad sweaty bodies gyrating to new-wave hits and gothic beats. Off to the left is a VIP-like area filled with red velvet couches and tiny candlelit tables, often occupied by young lovers getting to know each other. Sky Nightclub's contemporary décor and unconventional-yet-hip crowd makes for an interesting addition to the surrounding Oakland Park area. Read more about Sky Nightclub >>

http://www.slackersbarandgrill.com Slackers fills the much-needed gap of a neighborhood bar in the Southland Shopping Plaza in Fort Lauderdale, and it shows. On any given weeknight, the bar is packed with regulars enjoying daily happy-hour specials at extremely reasonable prices. In addition to the 4-to-7 p.m. happy hour, most nights boast cheap drinks and specials on shots. The bartender recommends the Baby Guinness shot: Patrón Café with a Bailey's floater. Most shopping-center bars are cramped holes in the wall, but Slackers is spacious. The requisite sports banners and memorabilia hang on the walls, along with 30 flat-screen televisions of various sizes. There is also a full menu with burgers, sandwiches, salads, and wings. Read more about Slackers Bar and Grill >>